Dr Appointment #1

Yesterday I went to see the doctor for the first time this pregnancy. They did the typical "yearly" tests, answered questions, and of couse, tried to hear the heartbeat. Luckily my uterus is tipped forward, so he was able to find the heartbeat even though I'm only at 10 weeks. It is so awesome to hear that little tiny heart beating. I asked the doctor how big the baby was and he misunderstood and said that the heart is about the size of a grain of rice. That is soooo tiny!!! I found out that the baby is about .9 inches long and that the heart is only 2 chambers now, but it was beating. I think it is incredible that inside my body is a little tiny baby that will grow to be a person. WOW!
As the doctor left the room he told me to go get my blood drawn and then set up my next appointment. I was feeling so good that I forgot about the blood part until I was about 5 minutes away, so I had to drive back and do it. I guess that's the pregnant brain working for me...

Visiting Teaching

I had something wonderful happen yesterday. My Visiting Teacher came over. To some this may not seem like a big deal, but I really like knowing I have a VT who actually cares enough to come every month. I was trying to figure out why it's so important to me, and I realized it was because of Sherri. About a year after Karl and I were married we moved to a new ward. I was having pregnancy problems and had been put on bedrest. I also had gestational diabetes. Karl was home a lot, but I was still bored, and I was feeling very lonely.
About 3 weeks after we moved in I got a call from my VT. She asked if she could come over and meet me. I said sure and she said she would come over later that afternoon. A few minutes later our Home Teacher called and asked if he could come over and meet us. I thought it was funny that we hadn't heard from either until that day and then suddenly they both called. Later I found out why.
My VT showed up and introduced herself, Sherri, and her husband Josh. They had been on a trip to Hawaii and had just gotten back. They had both called their HT and VT families and were planning on dropping by to see them all. As they were walking they discovered that we were on his HT list and I was on her VT list. They even brought us a box of chocolate covered macadamia nuts from Hawaii.
After some talking we realized that Sherri had gone to high school with me, and that Josh had gone to high school with Von (though Josh was older than Von). We hit it off and Sherri offered to bring us dinner some night so Karl wouldn't have to cook. I was amazed that she would be so willing to help us.
Sherri continued to be my VT until a few months later when she was reassigned to teach someone else. I remember getting home and seeing a new VT assignment on my door and being really sad, until I read it and saw that I was now companions with Sherri! She was one of the best companions to do VT with because not only were we friends, but she was proactive, so it wasn't like pulling teeth like it usually is.
When we moved from the ward I was sad to leave her, but I was grateful for the experience of having a VT that cared so much for me.
A few months after we moved I was at the hospital after Von's birth. He was in the NICU and I was having a really tough time. My parents and Emily visited me. Karl came whenever he could, and my brother Von stopped by often since he worked at the hospital. One day I was sitting in the NICU watching my son lay under the biliruben lights. I heard someone say my name and I turned around and saw Sherri. She was a nurse and was working in the NICU that day. She came up and gave me a great big hug.
For the rest of the time in the NICU she came to see me whenever she was working, and did little things for me that meant so much. She got me crushed ice, which only nurses have access to, and bought me a chocolate dipped pretzel and some lotion from the gift shop. I don't think I can really explain how wonderful it was to have someone I wasn't related to come and show me they cared.
Sherri is someone who really showed what a Visiting Teacher can do.

President Hinckley

The Semester is almost over/ an update on us.

This has been one of the longest semesters of my school career. Almost as long as the semester I had to take Statistics. The end is in sight however. Today I did my presentation on my research project. We started the presentation by playing the song "Lets talk about sex" while we handed out "Better than Sex cake". Everyone asked a lot of questions about our project, and it looks like we got full points on it. We did get our paper back- that I wrote most of- and we got 100% on that as well. The final starts next Wednesday and runs for a week. I figured out my grade and right now I have a 93%. In order to keep it there I have to get at least an 84 on the final, which is what I've gotten on the other 3 tests, so I'm not too worried.
My other class had our final today. With a huge amount of luck I'll end up with an A in there as well. Otherwise I'll have an A-, and since "B's get degrees", so do A minuses.
Other than the complete tiredness I'm dealing with I'm doing ok. I got to talk to a good friend today that I haven't talked to since I moved. She's going to help me plant my garden this week. Whoohooo!!!

An update on my family:
Karl has a final next Saturday, then he starts his last class. His commencement ceremony is May 1, but he doesn't finish his last class until June. We're looking forward to it, I miss having my sweetie home on Friday nights.

Kaleb has been talking a lot more. His teachers are doing something right. While he is still hard to understand, the amount he talks has increased, and he is using more words. It's wonderful to have him come ask me for something in a full sentence.

Von started speech therapy and is already showing improvement. I don't think it will take as much to get him caught up. We talked to an occupational therapist about his eating and she gave me some great ideas to get him to eat. So he is eating more variety than he was only 2 or 3 weeks ago. He loves to cuddle and gives me hugs all the time.

So overall we're doing good. I'm so grateful for the blessings in our lives. We have our tough times, but the great times are nice to have inbetween.

The Idiot Box

I grew up with my Dad calling the TV the "Idiot Box". Because of that I really enjoyed this commercial:

I'm SOOO tired of being tired!!

(I usually try not to complain, but this entry is completely complaining, so I don't mind if you don't read it.)
Some people get morning sickness, not me, I get tired. I don't mean just a little tired, I mean exhausted tired. For example: I usually get about 8 hours of sleep at night. When I'm not pregnant this is plenty. Sometimes I can handle less. While I'm pregnant it's not nearly enough.
I usually try to take a nap while Kaleb is at school, but sometimes Von doesn't cooperate by taking one with me, so I turn on a movie in my bedroom, give him a drink and then I fall asleep, after setting my alarm to go off 5 minutes before Kaleb's bus gets here.
This week Mom has been working on my Grandpa's life story book, and she needs me to help her with formatting. So I've gone over 2 times, with the intention of helping her all afternoon. The first time I helped for about 45 minutes before asking for a ride home. The second time I just pushed through, but was exhausted by the time Karl picked me up to go to dinner for his birthday.
I average 10-12 hours of sleeping a day. Do you know how frustrating this is? My house needs to be cleaned, and my kids need attention, and I just dont' have the stinking energy to do to it. Luckily I have the best husband in the world who says he doesn't mind helping.
The good part is this: I am about 8 weeks along, the tired part of pregnancy is the first 12 weeks, so I only have a month left till I get some energy back!!! Wish me luck!

Yummy Recipe

I'm doing a presentation in one of my classes next week and my group decided it would be fun to have a treat to give out that connects to our presentation. One of the other girls is making it, but I figured while I was sending her the recipe I could post it too. It is very delicious.

B.T.S. Chocolate Surprise

Crust:
1 cup flour
1 stick margarine
½ cup finely chopped nuts

Filling, 1st layer:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 8oz pkg. cream cheese
½ of 16oz cool whip

Filling, 2nd Layer:
1 lg pkg instant vanilla pudding
1 lg pkg instant chocolate pudding
3 cups cold milk

Crust: Mix flour and margarine together like pie crust. Add in nuts. Press into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Let cool.

1st Layer: Mix together powdered sugar and cream cheese. When smooth add 8 oz. cool whip. Beat until smooth and spread onto cool crumb crust.

2nd Layer: In medium bowl add all ingredients. Beat until smooth and spread over 1st layer.

Top with rest of cool whip. Can sprinkle with pieces of candy bar such as Skor Bar.

A Pat on the Back

I recently signed up Von for PEEP (Provo Early Education Program). Specifically I was worried about his speech, but I asked to have Von's eating habits evaluated so that I could get some ideas on helping him be less picky in his eating as well. After I signed up I started to worry that they might think the reason my boys don't eat is because I'm not a good mom, (yes I realize this probably wouldn't have happened, for many reasons, but I've been a little stressed about it anyway.)
Well, the lady came to observe today, and I was surprised at her visit. She watched for awhile, then gave me tips, and talked to me about reasons for things and gave me tons of information. She also said that she was impressed at how many skills my boys had, things like: that they asked for things politely before doing them, and that they followed instructions well, that they waited for the prayer before eating etc.
She complimented me quite a few times on my patience and skill as a mom. I was surprised that she noticed so many little things that I try to do, but I don't really think anyone, including my kids notice.
So the visit that I was worried about ended up being one of the best I've had from anyone in the Peep program, and instead of being told I wasn't doing well, I was told that I'm a really good mom and to keep up the good work. It felt really good.

Duct Tape Anyone?